(1) Technical Field
This invention relates generally to concrete form brackets, and more particularly to tie assemblies for the forms of monolithic concrete floor slabs bearing on masonry stem walls.
(2) Background
A common residential construction method involves the construction of a monolithic concrete floor slab that is supported by, and bears upon, masonry stem walls. The stem walls are made of masonry units, such as concrete blocks having two voids in them. In past construction methods, bracket members were inadequate to place the concrete forms in a substantially co-planar orientation with respect to the exterior face of the stem walls. Thus, the bearing area of the floor slab did not extend across the entire top surface of the stem walls. This configuration can cause instability or a weakened interface between the stem wall, floor slab, and even the structural wall bearing on the floor slab.
Another prior construction technique called for notched header blocks, where the notch was sized to receive the monolithic floor slab. This notching is an extra construction step and adds complexity to the construction process. The notched header blocks are non-standard, and they must be aligned properly to accommodate construction of the stem wall and floor slab interface. These extra steps are time consuming, and the extra materials can be expensive.
The present tie assembly promotes efficient construction of the monolithic slab and the use of standard masonry blocks by providing a structure to hold and retain concrete form members in place without requiring non-standard notching or other alternation of the header blocks or masonry stem walls.